who is very familiar with the sks rifles?
- Thread starter cajun47
- Start date
I took a deer at 100 yards and some! Open , Stock sites and old eyes! 150 would be a impossible stretch for me! I hit what I was aiming at , Heart Lung Shot. That was all I had a clear shot for. 300 I don't think so for a deer. Even with optics I would not feel good taking that shot. Shooting at a man? I would not want anyone shooting at me at 500 yards.
Side Note: The deer dropped and it was over. ONE SHOT!
Edited: If you can do it with a 30-30 a SKS can do it. The 30-30 can launch a heaver bullet. Has some advantages.
Side Note: The deer dropped and it was over. ONE SHOT!
Edited: If you can do it with a 30-30 a SKS can do it. The 30-30 can launch a heaver bullet. Has some advantages.
The round certainly has enough oomph to do the job. The problem with an SKS is getting the round on target. If you were to randomly grab a dozen SKS rifles and try to group them at 100 yds, you may get one that will do better than a 3" group. They are very dependable, but not known for accuracy.
Yea, so grab a pile of Winchesters and Marlins with iron sights and how will they group at 100 yards for most people? SKS are reliable with some exceptions, like the Yugos sometimes have problems with the gas systems and it causes functional failures. Chinese seem to be pretty reliable, at least the better made ones. Bit of oil and minimal maintenance and they seem to keep ticking for most folks. You could get Russians or some rarer models but then they would be expensive and collectable which should let them out for knockabout guns. Think they make 5 round flush mags for hunting but don't know how well they work. Take off bayonets for practical purposes and save in case you sell. They are just added weight for hunting.
I have a Norinco Model D. Used a 5 round mag required by law. Hunting! Bayonet removed. Required by Law. ( would make a good mono pod ) Mine cycles fine. I was taught " when on the the hunt, Every shot counts, Most of all the first "
My father gave me this one. I must have gotten lucky or my father knew what he was doing. I can hit the bottom of a beer can at 100 yards! Open sites and my piss poor eyes. That is why I am looking for Peep sites.
My father gave me this one. I must have gotten lucky or my father knew what he was doing. I can hit the bottom of a beer can at 100 yards! Open sites and my piss poor eyes. That is why I am looking for Peep sites.
Smokey Joe
New member
Reliability and Accuracy
Cajun 47--You have mentioned the two touchstones of all shooters.
As to reliability, an SKS in good mechanical condition should be VERY reliable--like being one of the most dependable semi-autos there is. They were made to be maintained by illiterate peasant conscripts and keep on shooting. As you may have observed, their innards are built like a brick pizzeria.
The 2 usual problems are with slam-fires caused by the firing pin not freely moving inside the bolt (Clean the bolt of cosmoline--REALLY clean!!) and, in the 59/66, leaky gas valves caused by corrosion (buy it a new valve body; cheap on the I'net.)
As to accuracy, it seems to be a crap-shoot depending on the individual rifle. I've owned one that couldn't keep 10 shots on a piece of 8 1/2x11" paper at 100 yd, and now own one that makes 8" groups on that same size paper. I have never personally seen an SKS "shoot the bottom out of a coke can" at 100 yd, although several posters on this forum and on THR claim to own such. Me, I'd love to have an accurate AND reliable SKS!!
Cajun 47--You have mentioned the two touchstones of all shooters.
As to reliability, an SKS in good mechanical condition should be VERY reliable--like being one of the most dependable semi-autos there is. They were made to be maintained by illiterate peasant conscripts and keep on shooting. As you may have observed, their innards are built like a brick pizzeria.
The 2 usual problems are with slam-fires caused by the firing pin not freely moving inside the bolt (Clean the bolt of cosmoline--REALLY clean!!) and, in the 59/66, leaky gas valves caused by corrosion (buy it a new valve body; cheap on the I'net.)
As to accuracy, it seems to be a crap-shoot depending on the individual rifle. I've owned one that couldn't keep 10 shots on a piece of 8 1/2x11" paper at 100 yd, and now own one that makes 8" groups on that same size paper. I have never personally seen an SKS "shoot the bottom out of a coke can" at 100 yd, although several posters on this forum and on THR claim to own such. Me, I'd love to have an accurate AND reliable SKS!!
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Most SKSs are very reliable. The possible exception are well used Yugoslav 59/66s with corroded gas shutoff valves (used in grenade launching). They can leak so much gas that the action will not cycle.
With good ammo, SKSs are capable of shooting 4 inch groups at 100 yds. If you want a carbine that is a joy to shoot, find an Egyptian Rashid. Mine shoots 1.5 inch groups.
With good ammo, SKSs are capable of shooting 4 inch groups at 100 yds. If you want a carbine that is a joy to shoot, find an Egyptian Rashid. Mine shoots 1.5 inch groups.
Jamie Young
New member
The only bad thing about SKS rifles is if you don't clean them, they can go full auto on you.
I'd rather plink with my SKS rifles than plink with my AKs. The SKS just seems to be more comfortable to shoot. I can hit stuff out to 400yds with them with Wolf ammo.
I'd rather plink with my SKS rifles than plink with my AKs. The SKS just seems to be more comfortable to shoot. I can hit stuff out to 400yds with them with Wolf ammo.
RedneckFur
New member
With good ammo, some SKS's can shoot very respectable groups. Try a few different American brands in yours and see how it does for ya. Mine will shoot under 2 inches at 50 yards with wolf. My eyes arent so good, so 100 yards without a scope is difficult for me, regardless of how accurate the rifle is. I think it will make a decent deer gun, as long as you dont push the range out past 100 yards.
If your looking to purchase a rifle for deer hunting, I'd recomend you spend just a bit more and get a decent used marlin .336 in 30-30. Basically the same performance as the 7.62x39, but a far more accurate package.
With the price of a good SKS now days, its just about the same price as a decent 30-30. And my marlin will shoot a 3/4 inch group at 100 yards all day with 150gr. soft point winchester factory ammo and a simmons scope on top of it. Find an SKS that will do that
If your looking to purchase a rifle for deer hunting, I'd recomend you spend just a bit more and get a decent used marlin .336 in 30-30. Basically the same performance as the 7.62x39, but a far more accurate package.
With the price of a good SKS now days, its just about the same price as a decent 30-30. And my marlin will shoot a 3/4 inch group at 100 yards all day with 150gr. soft point winchester factory ammo and a simmons scope on top of it. Find an SKS that will do that
Kreyzhorse
New member
I too have a Russian dated 1954. It is in excellent condition and got it for a song in the early 90's. Great gun, reliable, but it's certainly a brush gun. I'd trust it for a deer from 100 yards and in, but that's as far as I'd go.
Mine when full auto when I first bought it. Trouble was, for every three single shots, it would go full auto and you never knew when it was going to happen. It's scare the hell out of you when you weren't expecting it and you never expected it.
Smokey Joe
New member
Dealing with slam fires...
Here's how:
1. Simply be aware that the possibility exists. If yr SKS goes full-auto just HOLD ON TO IT, keep it pointed down range, until it finishes. Not being made to be a machine gun, they normally jam on the 2nd or 3rd cartridge. And yes, I had it happen once. The only time this is dangerous is when the shooter drops the gun in surprise, while it is still firing.
2. If you reload for yr SKS, use CCI #34 primers--these are "hard" like military primers, and are made specifically for use in SKS's, Garands, and the like. Like the SKS, Garands also lack firing pin return springs. A hard primer is much less likely to get slam-fired.
3. Keep the firing pin channel in yr bolt CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN. This allows the firing pin to move freely. Whether to lube the firing pin in its channel is an open question--Some say, it was made not to be lubed. Some (myself included) use a very light oil (I use Kroil) with good results. Check the action of the pin periodically. It should slide back in its channel, of its own weight, when the SKS is tilted muzzle-up--You can see this when the bolt is open.
4. Have a firing pin return spring installed in the bolt of your SKS. This will take care of the problem once and for all, unless you let the firing pin channel get REALLY dirty. There is a gunsmith in Texas that makes a business of installing these, or he'll sell you a kit to DIY. Believe it's Murray's Guns.
When Comrade Simonov designed the SKS, he included a firing pin return spring in the design. The Soviet military, to save 4 kopeks on each rifle, decided to eliminate the firing pin return spring from the design. Hence the problem. Cheap bureaucratic b******s.
Here's how:
1. Simply be aware that the possibility exists. If yr SKS goes full-auto just HOLD ON TO IT, keep it pointed down range, until it finishes. Not being made to be a machine gun, they normally jam on the 2nd or 3rd cartridge. And yes, I had it happen once. The only time this is dangerous is when the shooter drops the gun in surprise, while it is still firing.
2. If you reload for yr SKS, use CCI #34 primers--these are "hard" like military primers, and are made specifically for use in SKS's, Garands, and the like. Like the SKS, Garands also lack firing pin return springs. A hard primer is much less likely to get slam-fired.
3. Keep the firing pin channel in yr bolt CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN. This allows the firing pin to move freely. Whether to lube the firing pin in its channel is an open question--Some say, it was made not to be lubed. Some (myself included) use a very light oil (I use Kroil) with good results. Check the action of the pin periodically. It should slide back in its channel, of its own weight, when the SKS is tilted muzzle-up--You can see this when the bolt is open.
4. Have a firing pin return spring installed in the bolt of your SKS. This will take care of the problem once and for all, unless you let the firing pin channel get REALLY dirty. There is a gunsmith in Texas that makes a business of installing these, or he'll sell you a kit to DIY. Believe it's Murray's Guns.
When Comrade Simonov designed the SKS, he included a firing pin return spring in the design. The Soviet military, to save 4 kopeks on each rifle, decided to eliminate the firing pin return spring from the design. Hence the problem. Cheap bureaucratic b******s.
My yugo will shoot 10 rd groups of 2" at 100 yd. all day. Of course I tinkered with it a bit. Cut off the junk at the muzzle and re-crowned. Installed synthetic stock with monte carlo cheek piece, glass bedded and free floated, and installed leapers mount and scope. Never had any trouble with the gas valve, but will replace it if I do. I clean all of my rifles after every outing.
There's a little bit of the luck of the draw, I think. I've got two Yugo M59/66s and one is far more accurate than the other.
Stuff that's good to know about for SKSs includes Murray's firing pin return springs, Kivaari trigger jobs and Tech-SIGHTS' TS200 aperture sight.
Stuff that's good to know about for SKSs includes Murray's firing pin return springs, Kivaari trigger jobs and Tech-SIGHTS' TS200 aperture sight.